Glorious Alfa Romeo and Bugatti Cabriolets ...
With Winter holding the Northern Hemisphere in its grasp, we felt it was time to look at two glorious Cabriolets from the early 1930s. First up is a late model Alfa Romeo 8C 2300 bodied by Italian coach-builder Castagna. Originally developed as a racing car, the 8C 2300 was victorious in Grands Prix, road races and for four consecutive years at Le Mans. Alfa Romeo would also happily supply the thoroughbred chassis for coach-builders to fit with luxurious bodies, creating one of the first supercars. The featured example was delivered new to a young Italian heir to a sizable fortune. During the early 1940s it was shipped to the United States and acquired by Haig Ksayian. Like us he had a soft spot for 8C 2300s as he acquired a Zagato Spider some years later. For a considerable time he used the engine out of the Castagna Cabriolet to keep the Zagato bodied example on the road. After nearly half a century of ownership, the two 8C 2300s were sold. Reunited with its original engine, the Castagna Cabriolet was entrusted to master restorer Paul Russell. At the 2008 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance the fabulous 8C 2300 made its post-restoration debut where it was promptly awarded 'Best in Class'. A year later, it sold at a Gooding auction for a startling $4 million.
Of all great cars he built, Ettore Bugatti ranked the Type 46 as his favourite. As the nick-name 'Petite Royale' suggests, it was a smaller version of the massive, and unmarketable Type 41 Royale. With over 400 examples built, the Type 46 actually was quite successful. For reasons unknown only very few of these five-litre engined luxury machines have survived. The rarest of all is the Type 46S model, which featured a supercharged version of the eight cylinder engine. It is believed that this Reinboldt & Christie Cabriolet is the only open Type 46S in existence today. It was originally sold to Switzerland where it was fitted with its elegant coach-work. The big Bugatti was added to the current owner's collection in the 1980s. He spent the next 14 years carefully restoring the Type 46S. We were treated to the finished article at last year's Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance.
Enjoy the links:
1931 - 1934 Alfa Romeo 8C 2300 Castagna Cabriolet - Images, Specifications and Information
1931 Bugatti Type 46S Reinboldt & Christie Cabriolet - Images, Specifications and Information
If you should see a man walking down a crowded street talking aloud to himself, don't run in the opposite direction, but run towards him, because he's a poet. You have nothing to fear from the poet - but the truth.
(Ted Joans)
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